IP leaders who are called "Ambassadors of Truth" cameback on Thursday from the US where they conducted the "Truth Caravan". (Photo by Gabriel Villanueva/PIA InfoComm)
QUEZON CITY -- A group of Indigenous People (IP) leaders from Mindanao came back Thursday from a monthlong tour to the United States were they conducted a “Truth Caravan” for various Filipino-American communities.
According to the group’s spokesman, Datu Jake Lanes, they also lodged a formal complaint before the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII) Secretariat, asking them to launch an investigation into the attacks committed by the communist rebels against IPs in the Philippines.
Lanes said they have listed 17 violations of tribal culture and tribal rights including the recruitment of IP children to become child warriors; encroachment of tribal ancestral domain through the CPP schools without free and prior informed consent (FPIC); rape and molestation of IP children in these schools; trafficking of IP children by CPP allies; and the continuous killing of tribal leaders opposing the CPP-NPA programs in the ancestral domain.
QUEZON CITY -- A group of Indigenous People (IP) leaders from Mindanao came back Thursday from a monthlong tour to the United States were they conducted a “Truth Caravan” for various Filipino-American communities.
According to the group’s spokesman, Datu Jake Lanes, they also lodged a formal complaint before the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII) Secretariat, asking them to launch an investigation into the attacks committed by the communist rebels against IPs in the Philippines.
Lanes said they have listed 17 violations of tribal culture and tribal rights including the recruitment of IP children to become child warriors; encroachment of tribal ancestral domain through the CPP schools without free and prior informed consent (FPIC); rape and molestation of IP children in these schools; trafficking of IP children by CPP allies; and the continuous killing of tribal leaders opposing the CPP-NPA programs in the ancestral domain.
Datu Jake Lanes, the group's spokesperson, shares their experiences during their mission in the US. (Photo by Gabriel Villanueva/PIA InfoComm)
Among their engagements in New York were meetings with the Patriotic Filipino Community, United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the New York-based Media Networks, Philippine Consulate, New York and Fordham University.
“We relay to various Fil-Am organizations the real intent of leftist groups who are part of a broad alliance organized by the National Democratic Front which is directly linked to the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) led by Jose Ma. Sison,” Lanes said
“During our engagements, we told them to be vigilant in giving support to groups asking for financial assistance for it might be channeled to groups affiliated with the CPP-NPA,” Lanes added.
While doing their rounds, the eight-member group who were dubbed “Ambassadors of Truth” were allegedly harassed by leftist groups for telling Filipino-American audiences there that their monetary contributions went not into educating or teaching indigenous students but for the purchase of arms to terrorize local communities into accepting the communist ideology.
Another member of the group, Datu Nestor Apas said militant groups in US felt threatened that tribal leaders are finally standing their ground and speaking up against the atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA.
“The militants want us to be silent on the issue. They were hurt by the truth, that’s why they harassed us by storming us during our activities,” Apas said in Filipino.
He said militants barged in and even attempted to hurt them during their activity in Washington DC.
“But we are not afraid anymore, it feels good to stand up for the truth. It feels good to help the country,” Apas said. (PIA InfoComm)
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1025188
Among their engagements in New York were meetings with the Patriotic Filipino Community, United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the New York-based Media Networks, Philippine Consulate, New York and Fordham University.
“We relay to various Fil-Am organizations the real intent of leftist groups who are part of a broad alliance organized by the National Democratic Front which is directly linked to the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) led by Jose Ma. Sison,” Lanes said
“During our engagements, we told them to be vigilant in giving support to groups asking for financial assistance for it might be channeled to groups affiliated with the CPP-NPA,” Lanes added.
While doing their rounds, the eight-member group who were dubbed “Ambassadors of Truth” were allegedly harassed by leftist groups for telling Filipino-American audiences there that their monetary contributions went not into educating or teaching indigenous students but for the purchase of arms to terrorize local communities into accepting the communist ideology.
Another member of the group, Datu Nestor Apas said militant groups in US felt threatened that tribal leaders are finally standing their ground and speaking up against the atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA.
“The militants want us to be silent on the issue. They were hurt by the truth, that’s why they harassed us by storming us during our activities,” Apas said in Filipino.
He said militants barged in and even attempted to hurt them during their activity in Washington DC.
“But we are not afraid anymore, it feels good to stand up for the truth. It feels good to help the country,” Apas said. (PIA InfoComm)
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1025188
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